The sky above was vast and foreign, painted in brilliant hues of blue beneath the twin suns that hovered high in the sky. Their warmth bathed the land in golden light, but to Rey Sawada and Zane Yamamoto, it felt more surreal than comforting. They had been walking the winding dirt path for hours, dust clinging to their sneakers, the wilderness stretching endlessly around them. The strange sounds of unfamiliar birds and insects echoed through the trees, and though the landscape looked peaceful, a tension hung in the air.
Then, at long last, they saw it.
A town.
Nestled between gently sloping hills and fortified by a wall of stone and timber, the town came into view like an oasis. Buildings with steep, shingled roofs dotted the landscape, smoke curling from chimneys. Bright banners fluttered in the breeze. People moved through the streets in colorful robes and armor, some with weapons slung across their backs, others with staffs or crates. Wagons pulled by beasts they couldn't even name rolled past, and the air buzzed with life.
Rey gasped. "Zane, are you seeing this?"
Zane adjusted his glasses, eyes scanning the crowd ahead. "Yeah. I think we just entered a fantasy RPG."
Rey couldn't contain himself. He spun around with his arms wide open. "This is amazing! Look at them! Adventurers, swordsmen, mages...!"
It wasn't just humans walking the streets. Demi-humans were everywhere—tall warriors with wolf ears and tails, merchants with long rabbit ears, cat-eyed rogues, even a towering lion-headed blacksmith hammering metal by a forge. There was even a child with tiny horns peeking from beneath her hood walking with her elven mother.
Rey elbowed Zane. "Would you mind pinching me?"
Zane sighed, then pinched Rey's arm.
"Ow! Okay, okay! It's real! This is really happening!" Rey's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I can finally become an adventurer!"
Zane, ever the logical one, looked more composed but no less curious. "Rey... look at those people. They're not like us. Those ears, tails... Are they demi-humans?"
Rey nodded. "Yup. Exactly like in anime. Come on, let's go talk to someone."
Zane nodded and approached a tall man leaning against a wooden post. He had the appearance of a rugged warrior—sharp yellow eyes, gray fur, and a long scar down his cheek. Two swords were strapped to his back, and his tail flicked lazily.
"Excuse me, sir," Zane asked politely. "Can you tell us where we are?"
The wolf demi-human narrowed his eyes. "You're travelers... and you don't know where you are?"
"We were attacked by bandits," Zane replied quickly. "They took our carriage. We got separated from our group."
The man grunted. "Figures. Bandits've been bold lately. You're in the town of Ventura, down south in the country of Aethoria."
Rey repeated the name under his breath. "Aethoria..."
He leaned toward Zane and whispered, "That country doesn't exist back in our world, right?"
"Definitely not," Zane murmured.
The wolf continued, pulling a parchment map from his satchel. He pointed to their location. "Ventura's here. If you keep heading north, you'll find the royal capital, Helgard. That's where the most powerful adventurers gather. There's even an academy there—teaches magic, swordsmanship, and offers free lodging and food."
Zane's ears perked up. "An academy?"
The warrior nodded. "Two ways to get in: either be scouted by someone powerful, or go straight there and prove your worth. Show off your magic, strength, whatever you've got. If they think you're good enough, you're in."
Rey scratched his head, feeling overwhelmed and unsure. "Hey, mister... have you ever heard of countries called Japan, USA, or the Philippines?"
The wolf gave a barking laugh. "What kind of names are those? Never heard of 'em. You two are strange ones."
He returned to his drink, leaving them alone.
Zan look at Rey , Rey folded his arms. "No. Nope. Absolutely not. We are not going to some magic school. You heard the guy. Only talented people get accepted. And I'm not going back to school again."
Zane looked at him calmly. "Rey, we don't know anything about this world. Not how the currency works, not how magic works, not even how to survive. That academy might be our only chance."
Rey groaned. "Come on! This is an isekai! We've watched enough anime! We'll figure it out as we go!"
Zane crossed his arms. "Let's settle this the old-fashioned way."
Rey blinked. "You don't mean..."
"Rock, paper, shoot. Winner decides."
They raised their hands.
"Rock, paper, shoot!"
Zane threw paper.
Rey threw rock.
Zane smirked. "Looks like we're heading to Helgard."
Rey groaned dramatically. "This is so unfair..."
"Rules are rules. Now we just need food and a place to sleep."
Just then, something shiny caught Zane's eye near the road. A gold coin.
He picked it up. "Well. That's convenient."
They followed the smell of grilled meat to a nearby food stall. Smoke curled from the grill as a burly man waved them over.
"Hey kids! What can I get you?"
"How much for two of those meat skewers?" Zane asked.
"Three silver each."
Zane handed over the gold coin. The vendor's eyes lit up. He handed them three skewers with a wink. "Special deal for you."
They devoured the food at a bench nearby. Hot, savory, and full of flavor. There was one skewer left. Without a word, they split it in half.
"That hit the spot," Rey said, licking his fingers. "Now I'm ready for anything."
Zane leaned back against the wall of a shop. "We should continue toward the capital. The sooner we arrive, the better."
As the sun began to lower, they exited the town and followed the road north. Eventually, they came upon a gentle river. Its waters shimmered under the fading light, reflecting the dual suns in glimmering ripples.
"Let's camp here for the night," Zane suggested.
"Good idea. I'll get firewood," Rey said, heading into the trees.
Zane gathered stones and made a fire pit, then tried to remember what their old Boy Scout leader taught them. After several minutes of failed attempts and lots of smoke, Rey returned with branches.
Together, they managed to light a small but steady fire.
Rey collapsed beside it. "Guess the Boy Scout lessons paid off."
Zane chuckled. "Barely. But it worked."
They lay back in the grass, staring at the sky. And then they saw it.
Two moons.
They floated in the night sky like twin sentinels, glowing softly over the land. One was silvery white, the other a pale blue. Stars glittered like diamonds scattered across black velvet.
"I've never seen that before," Rey whispered. "Two moons..."
"Neither have I," Zane said. "We've seen meteor showers and eclipses, but this is different."
Rey smiled. "Of course it is. We're in another world, remember?"
Zane turned his head toward him. "Yeah... you're right."
The night was quiet, but filled with life—the sounds of insects chirping, the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the distant call of some unknown creature. They had no beds, no tents, no idea what tomorrow held.
But they had each other.
And for now, that was enough.
Rey closed his eyes. "Zane?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for coming with me. Even if I dragged you into this mess."
Zane turned toward him, his expression soft in the firelight. "No matter what world we're in... you're still my best friend."